Pneumatic valve



June -14, 1927,

' G. M. O. JENKINS PNEUMAT I C VALVE 8.../ WJ www A //M u. w W 1 M u 2, O2 M 7 n.. d a -,iiiwww- .d s .a z /f M .VV Z .1 v 2 /k p., k

Patented June 14, 1927.

PATENT! OFFICE,

eEOnGE nt. O. y,nanixris,or LoNnON, ENGLAND, yAssIcuIOItTO, WESTERN ELECTRIC l COMPANY, INCORPORATED, F NEW Yoann. QY., JaCORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

rNEUMATIV'Oj VALVE. .I

Application mea October 23, 1924; serial No.

rlhis invention relates to receiving valves and particularly to, such valves as are used in connection with pneumatic conveying systems. x 4

The principal object ofl this invention is to provide a valve for receiving tickets or cards at eacho the selective terminalsqof pneumaticconveying systems of the character such as are commonly used, telephone exchanges for handling toll tickets.

Heretofore,.thevalves whichv have been Vemployed in pneumatic conveying systems ment and for effecting orpermitting the release of the 'ticket therefrom.` jThe aforementioned means provided' in thercompartment consists A.ot a hinged door of Wire gauze against which the ticket to be collected is drawn by suction,- the door then operating to cause `an electromagnetic device, such as a plunger magnet, to elfectjthe closing of a valve controllingthevacuum and opening the compartment `to release the tlcket.

The invention Will, `be more readily understood from the following `description of .a preferred embodiment `Which is illustrated in `the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view 4ot the` valvelof my invention, shown in partial section; Y

Fig.- `2 is a sectional Vside ,elevation'taken along the 1in@ 2.-*-2Qf Fgl;

Fig. i 3l is a lsideelevation of; theelectromagnet and release mechanism; rand l Fig. 4 `is .a view of the ticketreleasing mechanism; Y n n p j l Referringwto the (lravvng,inv which like :characters designate like ,parts in the L several views,-lz111meral 1` indicates the casing of the valve which is rectangular in shape may be ,of .any suitable 'material such as brass, having a mounting plate 2, by means of Which the valve is attached to the tube in any desired manner. Extending down the pump. `ting off of `the vacuum rom the compart- Suspended from eachend yof spring 13 is va thin chain. 15 connected at its `lower extremity to each end of a trap door 16 which 745,382,11111 in Great Britain pm as, A1924.

partition 3 which divides `the valve casing -into twocompartments, 4 and,4 Which are .connected together at thebase of the valve beneath the lower edge of partition 3, An airtight glassV observa-tion Window 6 is provided iny the front aceof casingl.

A member Tcompletely closes thev upper i end of the compartment 4exceptf;for a passagejS in Which a leafvalve 9 is positioned.

Leafvalve 9 is rigidly fastened Ito the rod 10 which* 1s journaled to the casing 1 and is frictionally adjustable ,by means oli'` the collar 11 and lock screw 12 inthe exterior Vof 'casing 1.V This `valve regulates the sizeof the 4,opening in the passage 8.. Theupper surface 'of member 7 is connected' in' any `manner well known in the art. to a `vacuum pump which loperates continuously, whereby air 1s sucked downward through the right hand compartment 5, through the opening beneath the partition 3, land thence upward through compartment Lland passage l8 to Althia aexibl leaf Spring 13 is secured attits center by means of tap screws `to a cleat 14: across Vthe lower endy of passage 8 ispivotally mounted along lits longitudinal kcenter lineonthe rod 17 ljournaled in the `Walls Vof thel casing 1, with .one end extending through :one side a short distance, as slioWn Fig. 1. The closure-surfaces Ofdoor `16 are provided with thin. layers 18 of leather or like material in order to insure an airtight joint/When in closed position.

The rectangular flap door 19 of Wir gauze .extends across" the opening` beneath partition, its upperfedge rigidly. fixed upon a pivotal rodw 20 which is journaled in thev Walls of casing -1 with one end extending through and shapedlike a crank to form the ticketoperating lmember 21, the bearing V .end ovvhich 22 is of insulating material.

The .contact springsn23 and 24 mounted on ...the sidewall of casing .1! and insulated therefrtmarid froment other inthe assermenner, are ,operated by contact` 22y which engsgessiprjngi, 231 as are flap door 19 and as crakif Bladiliibd- `Rigidly secured to theriglitlliand side` of the casing 1, is a 'plunger solenoid 25 provided with a suitable number ofturns, the

core of which 26, having a longitudinal slotted extension 27 which carries a coil'ed spring 28 attached at its lower end to the adjustable shackle 29 on the bracket ,30 which is mounted'inl an extension 31 `of vthe right-hand side of the casing. As before mentioned, extension 27 is slotted longitudinally and in the slot is located a link, also provided with a longitudinal slot, through which and also through member 27 passes a screw pinv 33, upon which link 32 Vrides and which also limits its motion. Link 32 which is rigidly fastened to rod 17 by means of a tap screw, carries a contact operating inember 311, the bearing point35 of which is of 4insulating material adapted to engage spring 36 which normally makescontact with spring 37. Springs 23 and 24, controlled by 4the rod 2O secured to the gauze door 19, are

arranged in-tlie circuit of a slow acting relay which energizes when the contacts are closed and close the circuit of the solenoid `25 in which circuit are located the normally closed springs 3.6 and 37.

Compartment 5 is connected by, a tube of suitable size to an operators position where the tube is provided with a slot in which the toll ticket is inserted, the ticket having been previously folded as indicated by numeral 3S of Figs. 2 and 4l, with the fold uppermost.

The operation of the apparatus may be described as follows: as before mentioned, member 7 is connected to a vacuum pump so that air is continuously drawn down into compartment 5 and up out of compartment 4 through the gauze door 19 and past valve 9 as indicated by the arrows in Fig.v 2. Valve 9 is adjustable to govern the suction of a suitable vacuum for operation. VV'hen a ticket is vto be collected, it is .inserted in-the tube as heretofore described, is drawn, into compartment 5 vand against the gauze flap door 19 to which it clings as shown in Fig. 4. Consequently the ticket, closing olf the suction through the gauze door 19, lcauses the air pressure behind it to close the door which rotates rod 20 and actuates 21 to close Contact springs 23 and 24; which closes the circuit to operate a slow acting relay not shown. This relay, upon operating, closes the circuit of the solenoid 25, which, upon energizing, pulls up the core 26 and with itV the core extension 27 ,v thereby rotating link 32 which is rigidlymounted upon rod 17 on which the trap door 16 pivots, so that the right-hand half of the door'drops downwardly and theotlier half, to which the chains 15 are attached, moves upwardly. The chains 15, being loosened, release the tension of leaf spring 13 which immediately snaps upwardly to close passage 8, the vacuuin in the apparatus ceases, and the ticket which, under vacuum, clung to the gauze door now slips off this door and passes through the open door 16 into anyV suitable receptacle and is collected. lThev release of the ticket by gravity is aided somewhat by the continued downward movement of air lin the compartment 5 after the vacuum has l been cut ofi'. l f

The action of the link 32 which, with its contact operating extension `34, having opened the normally closed contacts 36 and 37, has accordingly opened the solenoid circuit 25 which, upon the deenergizing of the slow acting relay permits the apparatus to return to normal, the slow acting relay insuring that the' door is opened for a Sullicient 'interval to allow the ticket ,to pass therethrough.' i i While thisspeciication describes a preferred embodiment ofthis invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in form, construction and proportion without departing from the spirit of this invention, within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed ist 1. In combination, a receivingvalve comprising a compartment, a door therefor, a hinged member therein, means for normally maintaining a vacuum therein, said vacuum causing a ticket to be drawn against hsaid hinged member to move the saine and ay valve operated thereby for shuttin Volli' the vacuum, 4and means simultaneous y operated by said hinged memberto open said door to release the ticket.

2. A receiving valve according to claim 1 in which said hinged member closes the cir cuit of an electromagnet which opens: said door, said door being mechanically connected to the valve which shuts o the vacuum.

3. A ticket receiving valve comprising a ,'compartmenhnieans foil normally maintaining a vacuum therein, a hinged door for said compartment against which the ticket is drawn by suction, magnetic means actuated by said door to shut off the vacuum, release said ticket and return said valve to normal.-

4l. An automatic valve for pneumatic systems comprising a vessel divided into two i compartments, means for normally maintaining the vacuum therein, a hinged inember provided in one compartment against which a ticket is drawn, an electromagnetic device, and a door normally closing the coinpartmentfin which the ticket is present, said door, being actuated by said device for shutting off the vacuum and releasing said ticket.

Inwitness whereof. I hereunto subscribe my name this tenth day of October A. D.,

GEORGE M. O. JENKINS. 

